Who takes a center in the first round of the NFL Draft? A smart football team, thatís who, at least under these circumstances.

It has to be the right player, with an upside, and fill a definite need. Frank Ragnow, from Arkansas, the Detroit Lionsí first-round pick, 20th overall Thursday night, fits.

He can play center or guard equally well. He is bigger, stronger and more agile than Travis Swanson, the Lionsí previous center, who is also from Arkansas. Ragnow was a stone wall for the Razorbacks. He literally allowed no quarterback hurries, and he is a 6-foot-5, 312-pound road plower for the running game. The beauty above all is that Ragnow did it also at guard before moving to center. It gives new offensive line coach Jeff Davidson the option of mixing and matching with Graham Glasgow and Joe Dahl.

The only question about Ragnow was health. He had a high-ankle sprain late last season and missed the NFL Combine, but he answered the bell with a tremendous pro day.

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There will be disappointment the Lions didnít take a running back, an edge-rushing linebacker or big defensive tackle - and those are all obvious needs - in the first round. But Ragnow fills a need in the interior of the Lionsí offensive line ideally, and from the aspect he was the best available player and at a key position. Center is tremendously underrated in its importance. The center makes line calls, touches the ball on every play and often keys the inside running game.

Also, the Ragnow pick showed two important aspects, both very good, about the Lionsí organization:

1. That Lionsí head coach Matt Patricia, when discussing the need to build a football team from the middle out, was more than just mumbling coach-speak. The Lions didnít just talk the talk, they walked the walk with this pick.

2. This is a revealing sign general manager Bob Quinn has learned from his mistake last year, when he left the Lions woefully thin in the offensive line after signing guard T.J. Lang and tackle Rick Wagner for the right side, and for big bucks.

The Lions were dead last in the NFL in rushing last season, both in total yards and yards per carry. Matthew Stafford was the sacked the second-most of any NFL quarterback.

Taylor Decker, the Lionsí first-round pick in 2016, missed half of last season and played with essentially just one arm when he returned because of shoulder surgery. He is a superior football player, especially at run blocking, when healthy. Lang was coming off a surgery and missed much of the off-season program and was limited right up to the start of last season. That is not the case now.

Davidsonís impact could be significant. He has played for, or worked with, two of the best offensive line coaches in NFL history, Denverís Alex Gibbs (as a player) and New Englandís Dante Scarnecchia (as a coach).

Who is Frank Ragnow? The player the Lions should have taken in the first round, and for all the right reasons.

It isnít hype or reaching for need or about selling tickets. Itís about winning something more than just a wild card spot some day.

The Lions arenít going to get there until they get a strong offensive line.